ANKLE AND FOOT CONDITIONS

Plantar Fasciitis

The plantar fascia is a thick, fibrous band of connective tissue. Its origin is the inside under surface of the heel. It runs along the sole of the foot like a fan, being attached at its other end to the base of each of the toes. It is a tough, resilient structure that has a number of critical functions during running and walking.

Symptoms of plantar fasciitis:

Pain on the bottom of the heel

Pain in the arch of the foot

Pain that is usually worse upon arising

Pain that increases over a period of months

When this band becomes inflamed, the heel and bottom of the foot become extremely painful and sensitive. As the fascia worsens, the pain becomes even more intense, and may even persist while resting. If not treated, the formation of bone (calcifications) within the plantar fascia band may develop. These are commonly referred to as heel spurs, and without intervention therapy such as shockwave, a very long rehabilitation period is expected.

Metatarsalgia

Metatarsalgia refers to pain in the front of the foot, most often in the region where the toes and the ball of the foot meet. Pain intensity can range from very mild to debilitating, and is often made worse by standing or activities.

Symptoms of metatarsalgia include:

shooting pains into toes

tingling or numbness of toes

burning or aching in the ball of the foot

the sensation of "walking on pebbles"

Most commonly, metatarsalgia is caused by an increase in pressure in the ball of the foot, resulting in damage to soft tissue and bone. Wearing high heels or overly tight shoes, obesity, high-intensity exercise, tight calf and plantar muscles, and an overuse of the toe flexors all can contribute to this condition.

At Granville Physio your therapist will teach you how to improve your arch mechanics, successfully apply a supportive device such as tape and insoles, and use shockwave to improve the length of the foot and calf muscles/fascia.

Morton's Neuroma

A neuroma is a thickening of nerve tissue that may develop in various parts of the body. The most common neuroma in the foot is a Morton’s neuroma, which typically occurs between the third and fourth toes. Often described as a feeling of "walking on a marble", it is a result of inflammation and thickening of the nerve located between the bones of the toes. The damaged nerve results in sharp, burning pain in the ball of the foot, and can also cause numbness or stinging in the toes.

At Granville Physio your therapist will teach you how to improve your arch mechanics, successfully apply a supportive device such as tape and insoles, and use the best equipment to reduce the size of the neuroma through shockwave, ultrasound, and ice.

In a 2009 study in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, patient's with chronically irritated Morton's neuromas, who had received 8 months (41.6 months was the mean) of conservative treatment, were put into two groups where both received intravenous sedation. In the group that received one shockwave treatment 82% had a 50% improvement in pain on follow up vs 21% in the sham group. The average improvement in the shockwave group was 65% and in the sham group 25%. Remember, this is after only one treatment in individuals that had been in 7.2/10 pain for an average of 41.6 months! ​

Hallux Rigidus

Hallux rigidus is a disorder of the joint located at the base of the big toe. It causes pain and stiffness in the joint, and with time it gets increasingly harder to bend the toe. ‘Hallux” refers to the big toe, while “rigidus” indicates that the toe is rigid and cannot move. Hallux rigidus is a form of degenerative arthritis.

Because hallux rigidus is a progressive condition, the toe’s motion decreases as time goes on. In its earlier stage, when motion of the big toe is only somewhat limited, the condition is called “hallux limitus.” But as the problem advances, the toe’s range of motion gradually decreases until it potentially reaches the end stage of “rigidus,” in which the big toe becomes stiff, or what is sometimes called a “frozen joint.”

Common causes of hallux rigidus are faulty function (biomechanics), structural abnormalities of the foot, and genetics.

At Granville Physio your therapist will teach you how to improve your arch mechanics, successfully apply a supportive device such as tape and insoles, and use the best equipment to reduce the size of the rigid deformity through shockwave, ultrasound, and ice.

Achilles Tendonitis (Tendinopathy)

The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body. It connects the calf muscles at the back of your leg to your heel bone. Achilles tendinopathy occurs when this tendon becomes inflamed. Usually the result of overuse, poor foot mechanics, excessively tight calf/foot muscles or a combination of all three.

In order to alleviate achilles tendonitis pain, the swelling must be reduced. Without proper treatment, this condition can lead to much more serious injuries, such as achilles tendinosis and tearing of the tendon. ​

At Granville Physio your therapist will teach you how to improve your arch mechanics, eccentrically strengthen your calf, successfully apply a supportive device such as tape and insoles, and use the best equipment to release the muscles of your calf and promote healing in the achilles tendon using shockwave, ultrasound, ice, and other treatment modalities. Shockwave on it's own has been shown to cure 76% of achilles tendon injuries.

Shin Splints

Shin splints refers to the pain experienced along front outer surface (lateral tibial stress syndrome) or inner section (medial tibial stress syndrome) of the lower leg. This pain is usually the result of inflammation of the muscles, tendons, and bone. Shin splints usually develop during or after physical activity, and the pain can be either sharp and knife-like or dull and throbbing. While this condition can be left to heal without intervention, recovery requires the individual to stop all forms of physical activity that may be aggravating the shin areas, and can take quite a while to fully disappear.

At Granville Physio your therapist will teach you how to improve your arch mechanics, appropriately release and stretch the region, and successfully apply a supportive device such as tape and insoles to the area. Additionally, the best equipment will be used to release the muscles of your calf and foot to promote healing in the shin and surrounding muscles using shockwave, ultrasound, and ice.

In a 2012 study in the British journal of Sports Medicine, they found that the duration to return to sport from shin splints was 59.7 (SD 25.8) days in the group that had a running program and shockwave while the group with the running program only required 91.6 (SD 43.0) days to return to sport. The shockwave group returned to sport 35% faster!

Location

Click to enlarge. Located behind the Safeway at the intersection of Granville Street and 70th Street, our brand new clinic offers ample free parking and easy access from southbound lanes on Granville or off of 70th between the Royal Bank and BC Liqour store. We provide shockwave therapy for Vancouver and Richmond, including the Dunbar, Kerrisdale, Oakridge, and Marpole neighborhoods.